Haunted Helena Preview

Myrna Loy Theater and Old County Jail

For example, few know that the Myrna Loy Center for Performing Arts has something of a reputation for eerie events. This fortress of a building was built as the Lewis and Clark County Jail. It replaced an earlier County Jail on the same site. We'll talk more about it in a later post (that's why this is Part 1!) Jails of course are famous for tragic histories and generally bad mojo. My sister Amber (who is pretty thick-skinned about such things) definitely has had some bad heebie-jeebies down there in the past, especially in the hall area around the women's restroom.The old Lewis and Clark County Jail was converted into the Myrna Loy Center for the Performing Arts in the early 1990s, with extensive renovation done, including some new additions. As in so many other cases, remodeling stirred up some things. Notably in the basement, where the solitary confinement area was, including "The Hole", an isolation tank. Lots of suffering permeated these walls. Down in the basement, one man working for the new Center was confronted by something pretty nasty, the story goes, though details are lacking. As a result, the place had to be blessed. But people continue to have strange experiences here at times. Several have had encounters in the basement, running from feelings of being watched to fear and physical sensations.

J. F. Allen Boarding Stables

When someone came to town to do some business at the territorial capital (now the County Courthouse), this old brick building used to be a place to stable your horses and then stay yourself in a room upstairs. People have heard the sound of pulleys moving hay around inside, and footsteps in the rooms. On the west side of the building is a "ghost sign", its faded paint advertising services from over a century ago.

Lewis and Clark County Courthouse and Old Territorial Capitol

Originally this building served as the Montana Territorial Capitol, after it had been moved to Helena, before the new State Capitol was built about a mile east. The basement used to house the county coroner's office.

Lewis and Clark County Jail

Sleeping Giant and Helena Overview

Scottish Rite & Masonic Lodge

Placer H0tel

Toole Mansion

Granite Block

Power Block

Big Dorothy's Windbag Saloon

Old Chinatown Area

John Denn

Bluestone

Fire Tower

Immaculata Hall

Tower Hill Apartments

Old St. John's Hospital

Caretaker's Cabin and Pioneer Cabin

Reeder's Alley

Old Stonehouse Restaurant

Morrelli Bridge

Adami Homestead and Barn Site

Upper Level Reeder's Alley

Cliff Ghost

Bad Cabin Site

Grandstreet Theatre / Old Public Library / Unitarian Church

Christmas Evans House

Original Governor's Mansion

Brantley House

Power Mansion

Reeder's Alley